Resources available for RSD parentsRussellville School District parents seeking ways to help their elementary children with homework now have an online resource. Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Chris Barnes presented the elementary instruction website to board members, principals and parents during the recent school board meeting. The website is designed to help parents become more involved in their children’s literacy, math and science lessons and homework th...

Inaugural Search and Rescue Wars registration now openThe Yell County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) will host the inaugural Search and Rescue Wars at 9 a.m. March 28 at the Yell County Fairgrounds in Danville. The event will challenge search and rescue teams through five events to test their skills in a competitive environment. Director Jeff Gilkey said search and rescue teams should view the event as a training competition. “We are looking to try and challenge these guys on what they’ve l...

Quiz Bowl places secondThe Russellville High School (RHS) Quiz Bowl team competed in the Benton Invitational Tournament earlier this month. The Cyclone varsity team finished 5-2 on the day, which was good enough for a second-place finish in the 20-team Upper Division bracket. In Game 1 of the seeding round, the Cyclones defeated North Little Rock 265-140. Game 2 was a back-and-forth battle between the Cyclones and defending state 3A champion Episcopal Collegiate (Li...

City to review animal shelter bidsThe city will review bids for a new building at the Russellville Animal Shelter on Feb. 17. The 1,224-square-foot building will be connected to the current shelter and is expected to include 10 additional dog kennels, a cat area and a quarantine area. The project will also include improvements to the current facility, which opened in April 1996. There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting at the site at 10 a.m. Feb. 4. Bids will be opened shortl...

News Briefs (Jan. 27, 2015)Central Fire Station presentations The City of Russellville will host presentations by selected architectural firms for the new Central Fire Station during four sessions on Thursday at Russellville City Hall in the City Council Chambers. The list of firms and presentation times includes the Renaissance Group at 9 a.m., Hoefer Wysoki Architecture at 10:15 a.m., Jackson Brown Palculict Architects at 1 p.m. and Guest Reddick Architects at 2 p.m. ...

Dover seeks theft suspectDOVER — The Dover Marshal's Office is asking for the public's continued help in identifying a man suspected of credit card theft. "We had a couple of potential leads we're following up on," Detective Todd Steffy said. "We still need to positively ID him." The man is suspected in the Jan. 10 theft of a credit card, which took place at Dollar General in Dover. The card was later used at a liquor store in Blackwell "by the individual who stole it...

HanesBrands to expand facility, create 120 new jobsCLARKSVILLE — HanesBrands recently announced the expansion of its manufacturing facility in Clarksville. The company plans to invest more than $1.4 million in building renovations and new equipment. As part of the expansion, the company plans to add 120 new jobs and bringing its total employment at the facility to 570 people. More than 85 percent of the plant’s current employees have at least 10 years of service with the company. HanesBrands’ ...

CASA training scheduled to start in FebruaryFifteen years ago, Judge Ken Coker Jr. brought Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to the Fifth Judicial District. Today, CASA of the Fifth Judicial District serves Pope, Johnson and Franklin counties with just three paid staff members — Executive Director Genney Baker and advocate coordinators Melissa Simpson and Cheryl Coleman. “The rest are volunteers,” Simpson said. CASA is a nonprofit organization and a United Way program. There are ...

City can spend funds, despite contract limboWhen you pay for your groceries, your gas, your appliances, your electronics, your clothes in Russellville, do you ever wonder where the city’s one-cent sales tax goes? When you look at all the construction and projects that will start or finish in the city of Russellville this year, do you wonder how portions of those projects are funded? The Courier sat down recently with Russellville Finance Director Jerry McKaughan to get some answers to b...

Davis new coach of Lady WildcatsHECTOR — The Hector Board of Education met in a special called meeting Thursday to formalize the rearrangement of employee duties made necessary by the resignation of girls basketball coach and physical education teacher Tiffany Phillips earlier this month. Superintendent Walt Davis has assumed responsibilities as head coach of the senior Lady Wildcats. Mark Taylor, head football coach and athletic director, has been assigned as assistant of b...

Brown leaves prosecuting attorney’s officeLiza Brown is leaving the prosecuting attorney’s office after serving more than eight years as a deputy prosecuting attorney. “I hope I made a difference,” she said. Brown graduated from Murray State University in Murray, Ky., with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2001 and went directly into law school. “As a small child, I always wanted to be an attorney,” she said. “It was a dream of mine.” She graduated from the University of Ark...

News Briefs (Jan. 25, 2015)Dardanelle T-ball, baseball, softball signups The Dardanelle Recreation Department has announced sign-up dates for the upcoming T-ball, baseball and softball seasons. Registration will continue through Feb. 20 at the Dardanelle Community Center. All players must present their birth certificate, and players must be at least 4 years old by Jan. 1 to play T-ball. For more information, call (479) 229-5084. Ambulance Board meeting set Tuesday An Am...

News Briefs (Jan. 24, 2015)Pope County Fair annual meeting All Pope County residents are invited to attend the Pope County Fair annual meeting, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Quorum Courtroom at the Pope County Courthouse. RHS Dessert Theater The second annual Dessert Theater will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday on the Main Stage at The Center for the Arts at Russellville High School. This year’s theme is “Fairy Tale Creatures,” and students will ha...

Longtime librarian retiresConnie Zimmer attended her last meeting as chairperson for the Pope County Library System Board of Trustees on Wednesday. “Serving on the Pope County library board has been a joy,” Zimmer said. “I love libraries, I love community, and it’s a good marriage of the two.” Zimmer had served on the board eight years, acting as chair for the past six years. “I’m very fortunate,” she said. “It was very nice of the judge to appoint me to this board.” I...

RSD explains the PARCC examWhat is PARCC, and why is my child required to take it? Russellville School District Test Coordinator Judy Pennington presented common misconceptions concerning the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam during the Russellville Board of Education meeting Tuesday at the administration building. PARCC exams are computer-based assessments in math, language arts and literacy to measure if students are on a suc...

Dugger thanks board membersPOTTSVILLE — Superintendent Larry Dugger thanked the Pottsville Board of Education members for their service to the district during its meeting Thursday at the high school library. "We appreciate the leadership the board provides to not only the faculty, staff, students and district but also the community as a whole," Dugger said. Dugger planned the recognition in honor of Arkansas School Board Members Recognition Month. Board members Clint Hu...

Election Commission welcomes HarrisThe Pope County Election Commission (PCEC) introduced its newest commissioner, Freddie Harris, during its meeting Wednesday at Pope County Election Headquarters. Because of the shift in power from November's general election, the commission had to change from one Republican representative to two and from two Democratic representatives to one. Harris is the new Republican commissioner and joins current Republican commissioner Portia Short. Harr...

Bond hearings (Jan. 24)The following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear March 2 in Circuit Court. • James Foster, 26, theft by receiving — $35,000. Foster was allegedly arrested in connection with a stolen 2007 Nissan Altima, valued at $8,500, which was taken from a residence on Jan. 22, a Russellville Police Depa...